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Chapter 53 - Duncan's Memorial

Alyssa tried to open her eyes, but her head throbbed painfully and she winced. Her eyelids fluttered as she struggled, and in doing so took in details of where she was.

Everything was blurred for a few moments, but she could vaguely see a human figure sitting in a chair close to the bed she was lying on. She blinked.

Alistair's form came into view as she recognized him. He was asleep in the chair, his head thrown back. He was snoring softly.

She remembered now. She had been hurt while fighting darkspawn...she struggled to sit up, and she winced as the pain in her head got worse.

Alistair started from sleep, rushing to sit at her side, taking one of her hands in his.

"Hush, my love, just be still. You are still weak, and need to rest," his voice was a low rumble in the silence of the room.

"Alistair," she whispered weakly, and tried to smile up at him, but grimaced.

"What is it? Are you in pain?" He asked urgently.

"My head..."

He jumped up and darted to the door, whispering something to the guard stationed there, then walked back to her side where he finally sat, holding her hand again.

"How long have I been out?" She asked weakly, shutting her eyes. It hurt to talk, but she had to know.

"Two days," he murmured. "The blade was poisoned."

The door to their rooms opened, and Anders walked in, relieved to find her conscious at last.

"Anders," she murmured and again tried to smile.

"No need to say anything, my lady. Let me perform a scan and fix what needs fixing..."

His hands traveled along the length of her body, a soft blue glow emanating from his fingertips.

She felt the pain in her head lessen, then slowly disappear. Giving a sigh of relief, she smiled up at Anders, who returned the smile and stepped back.

"Thank you so much, Anders, that felt so marvelous!"

He chuckled and his eyes twinkled at her.

"Alistair, don't you think we need a mage around now that Wynne is gone?" Alyssa turned to her husband who was smiling tenderly at her.

"Why you are certainly a mind reader, my dear. I have asked Anders to stay on as the palace mage, and an advisor to the throne." Alistair smirked.

"Oh! Advisor too?" She grinned.

"Yep! Sad to say, but I might like this arrangement after all." The amusement in his voice made her giggle.

Her giggle turned into a yawn.

"I'm so glad," she murmured sleepily.

"You'll be asleep again in a short while, but only for a few hours. Your Majesty, she must eat as soon as she wakes up," Anders turned to him.

"I'll go ask a servant to cook some stew for her," he said.

"No, I'll go, you stay with her, and try to get some sleep yourself," Anders said. "And I said 'sleep', not anything else for now," he grinned at Alistair's blush as he turned to head out the door.

"Anders," Alistair called out to him.

He stopped and turned, a quizzical look in his eyes.

"Thank you so much, for everything. And drop the royal names while we're alone. I'm just Alistair, all right?"

Alistair thought he'd never seen anything as bright as Anders's smile at that moment.

"You got it," he said, and walked out the door, shutting it firmly behind him.

...

Alistair sat at his desk, frowning at the paperwork piled around him. He rubbed his eyes, as Teagan walked into the room.

"Ah! Teagan! Just the person I wanted to see."

"I'm not doing the paperwork for you this time, Alistair," Teagan said firmly, crossing his arms.

"But, you do everything so well...and besides, I don't have much time for it anyway. I have to be at the Elven Alienage soon, to oversee the repairs there."

Teagan sighed. He knew that he would probably end up stamping the royal seal on the paperwork himself, while Alistair just signed it. It always happened that way.

"Very well," he said resignedly as Alistair happily stood up eager to be on his way.

"You know I have no patience to read all these things, I can count on you to do that," Alistair grinned.

"Only too well," Teagan frowned. "You should do it yourself, though. It's your kingdom, you know..."

"Yes, but I prefer it when you explain it to me as I sign it. It makes more sense and I'm able to grasp what is happening better," Alistair said brightly, still grinning.

Teagan smiled at this and took Alistair's recently vacated seat. "Just don't spend too much time at the Alienage, remember there is a dinner party with the newly appointed Arl of Denerim, Alistair."

"Did you have to remind me?" Alistair's pained expression told him just how much he was looking forward to it.

"Alistair, you have been putting this off for weeks. It cannot be put off any longer. Now that you are here, and not travelling anywhere..." Teagan broke off as he caught an expression on Alistair's face. "Oh, sweet Andraste! Don't tell me you have just thought of a way to get away from the palace! You can't just go gallivanting around the kingdom all the time! I'd have thought that Alyssa would help you settle down, but the two of you carry on like teenagers!" He shook his head and sighed.

"Well, Alyssa has been wanting to visit Highever, and her brother for some time now. And I do have business there, I really do." His demeanor changed and a sad, haunted look came into his eyes.

Teagan remembered a conversation he had had about Duncan with Alistair and his expression softened.

"You want to put up a memorial for him, don't you?"

"I promised him I would," he whispered.

Teagan nodded and gave him a smile. "I'll arrange it, of course."

"I'll ask Anders to come with us. He loves travelling," Alistair mused and turned to head out the door.

...

Alistair walked through the palace corridors, looking for his wife. He couldn't find her anywhere, and his brow furrowed in thought as he mentally ticked off all the places where she could be.

He needed her to come with him to the Alienage, but he also needed to see her. He couldn't stay away from her for long, not since her recent brush with death, weeks ago.

He spotted her in one of the gardens, walking around the rose bushes that grew there and paused, drinking in her beauty.

His eyes wandered down her luscious, small figure, and his breathing hitched slightly.

His desire for her had grown as they spent more time together and he would find himself wanting to take her in the most absurd places and situations, the latest had been in the middle of a tourney held in the city, as they sat primly on the raised dais overlooking the jousting grounds.

His face reddened slightly as he remembered how he had fantasized taking her right then and there, and had to stand up afterwards to congratulate the winner, grateful of the armor he was wearing which concealed his erection.

He wasn't wearing armor now, however, and the bulge below his navel grew and throbbed as it pressed against his clothes.

He walked slowly up to her, and she smiled and greeted him, even though she wasn't facing him. She had felt him through the taint.

She turned to fling her arms around his neck and kissed him. "My love," she said and snuggled closer to him, knowing that her wriggling drove him crazy with desire.

He breathed in her scent, and held her tightly, burying his head in her neck and hair. She had felt his erection, and giggled.

He trailed kisses down her neck and caressed her, one hand cupping her breast, while another massaged her buttocks.

She leaned into him. "Oh, my! Does this mean we'll be late for the meeting at the Alienage?"

His hands fumbled with her long skirt, and bunched it up as they groped her skin and finally found her smalls, which he proceeded to slip down over her hips. She moved slightly, and they fell to the ground.

Her hands automatically went to the strings in his leather breeches, under his blue doublet and she expertly undid them and found her mark.

He gasped into her mouth as her hands travelled up and down his length. One of his hands was already on her nub, gently touching and her moans filled the garden.

He lifted her and she locked her legs around him, while his penis pushed into her. She was hot and wet and ready for him when he took her, and he groaned.

He was vaguely aware of where they were as he thrust into her, out here in the open where anyone could find them, but he didn't care. All that mattered now was the urge and uncontrollable need to fill her completely and continue to thrust inside her, his arms holding her so she could receive him and arch herself against him.

He leaned her against the far wall and shifted slightly, his thrust deepening and he grunted, his eyes half-closed as he looked at her body, his breathing hard and fast.

Their movements quickened and their desire climbed, and she started to shudder as her walls held him tightly and convulsed, the first throes of her climax enveloping him in ecstasy. It drove him over the edge and he kissed her as he released himself into her.

Their breathing gradually slowed, and he pulled her close, and kissed her tenderly, his hands roaming over her back and hair, as she put her legs down and finally stood. He withdrew from her slowly, and she let out a disappointed cry, her hands locking around his neck.

"Honestly, my love," she feigned disappointment. "We have to stop doing this in places where we have no water to clean up afterwards. What am I to do now?"

"Uh, oh, I, I-" he stammered, a blush creeping up his cheeks.

She laughed out loud and he chuckled still embarrassed.

She smoothed out her skirt and bent down to retrieve her panties, but he took them from her. Pausing to look at her intently, he bunched her skirt again and used her panties to clean her, taking more time than was necessary.

She was giggling madly by the time he'd finished.

"Will that do for now?" He asked, giving her a lopsided grin, one of his eyebrows arched at her playfully as he stashed her smalls in his pocket.

"Yes, but just remember that means that I won't have any smalls on while we walk around the Alienage. And, you'll have to wash me up properly when we return as punishment." She waggled her finger at him as he hurriedly finished tying his breeches.

"Deal," he promised, as he led her away.

...

They were laughing cheerfully when they returned from the Alienage, and Anders smiled at the happy couple as he met them.

"Sounds like fun, whatever it is you two are up to," he said in a cheerful voice.

"Ah, Anders. Just the person I wanted to see," Alistair said, breaking away from his wife's embrace long enough to talk to him.

"I'm here to serve," Anders responded and smirked.

"We'll be setting off to Highever in a few days, to visit Alyssa's brother. Would you like to join us?"

"See? This is what makes slavery worth the while," Anders teased, his eyes dreamy.

Alistair chuckled. "Good! Ah, I'd like you to be here for the dinner with the Arl of Denerim, as my advisor. You're a good judge of character and I want to know if he is reliable to a certain point or not. We selected him because he seemed like the best choice at the time, but you never know and it doesn't hurt to keep an eye out."

"Say no more. I'll be there," Anders promised and winked at Alyssa. "You're looking extremely lovely today, my Queen," he batted his eyelashes at her.

"He-eyyy!" Alistair protested. "I'm right here!"

"Does that mean I get to do this when you aren't around?" Anders quipped back smirking.

"Not funny!" Alistair said, but grinned back nonetheless.

"We'll see you at seven in the dining room," Alyssa said, as she led Alistair away giggling. "We have...um...other pressing matters to take care of now."

Anders burst out laughing and watched them leave, a wistful expression suddenly on his face.

Alyssa was leading, and pulled Alistair away in the direction of the royal living quarters and her laughter echoed in his heart.

...

They arrived in Highever five days later, with Anders in tow. Fergus met them in the great hall, and embraced his sister fondly, sharing a brief hug with Alistair afterwards.

Anders stood by politely waiting to be introduced. Then, as they stood aside to let Anders step forward, Fergus started and stared.

"I know you!" He blurted out, and Anders' eyes widened as the memory of a thin haggard man came rushing back at him.

"It's you!"

"Am I missing something?" Alyssa asked, her eyes darting from one to the other.

"He's the mage who nursed me back to health, when I left the wilds!"

Anders smiled and Fergus gave him a bear hug. "What are you doing here? Did they ever catch you?"

"Um, yes," Anders laughed, "but I sort of got away."

"Somehow I knew you would," Fergus smiled.

"I'm now wrapped up in a different kind of enslavement though," he said cheerfully as he gazed at Alyssa and Alistair, who were both smiling at him fondly.

"Oh, honestly Anders...you and enslavement, it's an obsession," Alyssa giggled and shook her head.

"Anders is our palace mage and one of the advisors to the throne," Alistair added.

"Well, that is fantastic! But won't the Templars eventually catch up with you now that you are settled in Denerim?"

"I'm also a Grey Warden," he finished and stuck his chest out proudly.

"Ah, that does make a difference, doesn't it? The Templars can't touch you now," Fergus said nodding. "Come, I'll have some servants show you to your rooms..." his voice trailed as he caught the look on Alyssa's face.

For Alyssa was now rooted to the spot, her eyes glazing over, as the memories of that fearful night came crashing down upon her.

"My love?" Alistair whispered and put his arms around her.

"I'll be all right, darling. It's just that I haven't been back since it all happened."

He nodded and held her closely.

A servant walked them to her old room, where she and Alistair would be staying, Anders would be taking the room next to theirs. Fergus stood by and told them to freshen up and rest. They would meet for dinner in the dining room.

As soon as Alistair had closed the door to their room, he strode to her side and took her in his arms, holding her tenderly, massaging her back and neck.

"That feels so good, my darling. You are my rock and my strength. I'm so glad you are here with me," she murmured.

...

They found the place for Duncan's memorial the next day. It was on a hill, overlooking the village. The grass was tall and green and there were flowers and wild roses growing freely here and there.

"It's perfect," Alistair said quietly.

Alistair ordered the stone monument made as they stayed on in Highever, enjoying their stay as much as possible, actually dreading to be back at court. The freedom they shared at Cousland Castle brought them even closer together.

The day the monument was placed, Alistair said a silent prayer for Duncan and the rest of his brothers who had valiantly died at Ostagar. Fergus and Anders stood by as they listened to the speech Alyssa gave in Duncan's honor.

She finished her speech and held Alistair closely.

She knew Duncan had kept many things from them, but as time went by her resentment towards him had lessened. She truly felt sad at the lives lost at Ostagar, and wished they had won the battle that day.

Alistair was silent on the way back, lost in thought, but he did smile at the banter between Anders and Alyssa. He truly appreciated the mage and was happy that he had stayed on as his advisor, though he admitted to himself that he had asked him mostly because he knew that Anders was devoted to Alyssa and would do anything for her.

Loyalty mattered more to him than getting a good healer and it helped that Anders had proved to be both.

He did not know that loyalty was not exactly what was on Anders's mind every time he looked at Alyssa, nor how he really felt about her.